Gear-wheel.



v PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. J. J. JONES. GEAR WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.1B.1907.

' 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. J.J.JONBS. GEAR WHEEL. v.APPLIQAJZION FILED FEB.18, 1907 2 SHBETSS;HEBI 2.

resistance is greater than the compressed be utilized successively.

trnrrnn STATES JOSHUA J. JONES, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA.

GEAR-WHEEL.-

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Applictttiou filed February 18,1907. Serial No. 357.886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosItUA .l. JONES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Avalon, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGear-Wheels, of which the following is a specitication, reference beinghndtherein to the accompanying drawing.

.\ly invention refers to improvements in gear Wheels and is designed toprovide a construction whereby the motion or power exerted against therim of the wheel is transmitted to a shaft, or to portions of the Wheelrigidly mounted on the shaft, through intervening eushioniug devices forthe purpose of absorbing the preliminary shock of impact due to thactuating element, -.is,-.i driving pinion. I

The invention utilizes the increasing resisting pressure of a spring orsprings of special construction \vhich are adapted to be compressed andto impart rotary motion to the shaft when the energy of the spring, dueto its compression, equalizes the rcsistanric; or if the energy of thespring, to utilize sueh compressed energy prior to positive drivingengagement.

The invention also contemplates the employment of such compressionspring in units of varying strength and so located with relation to theparts ot'the mc hanism that the energy of one spring is successivelysupplemented by that of others, and whereby the combined or accumulatedenergy is exerted toward the same ultimate objecL.

The invention is clearly disclosed in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure 1. represents a view of the wheel in interior elevation, partlybroken away, one of the sides having been removed, as indicated by thesection line 1. l.

of Fig. 2. Fig. 2. is a vertical cross section on the line ll. ll. ofFig. 1. Fig. is a partial detail view similar to Fig. l, showing oneoithe springs under partial cont prc sion, and indicating completecompression and driving contact in dotted lilies. Fig. 4. is a viewsimilar to Fig. l, but illustrating the employment of a plurality ofsprings of varying strength, so mounted as to i Fig. 5. is a verticalsectional viewon the line V. V. of Fig. l. Fig. 6. is a sectional detailview on the line V1. VI. in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Sheet l of the drawings, the body portion of the wheel isformed of the sides A, A, integral with hubs li. B. which meet at orabout the middle portion of the wheel and are keyed to the shaft by theusual keyway t. D is the rim of the wheel. mounted concentrically uponthe peripheries of sides A, A, and tree to rotate thereon entirelyindependent of the sides, except as limited bythe interveningshock-absorbing and power-transmitting springs hereinafter described.Said rim D is provided around its external periphery with ordinary gearteeth E as shown, or sprocket teeth, or may be left entirely smooth inthe manner of a pulley, for belt transmission. The sides A, A, mayberigidly connected together in any suitable manner, as by means of beltsor rivets F located at intervals, each side being preferably providedwith inwardly ext-ending bracing abutments G, G, of any suitable form,so that when thus connected and mounted upon a shaft, the sides A willpractically comprise a single wheel with an intervening annular space.At certain points around the outer edges of the sides A, A, they areprovided with inwardly extending abutments H, while "the ring D isprovided with corresponding abutments I adapted to lit between saidabutments H, and said abntments substantially match each other inconstruction, particularly at their ends. The ends of all of theabutments are so torn". ed at their opposite ends as to be engaged bytheterminals of the springs, for which purpose they are rounded asindicated at J and such abutment ends are normally adjacent to eachother a sutlicient distance to permit of the insertion between them ofthe spring preferably under a certain predetermined amount of pressure.K represents the springs, of U torm and preferably having the outwardlyturned extremities L, the springs being of substantially the same widthas the combined width of the assembled abutments H, I, and 11, asclearly shown in Fig. 2. The width of the relatively .movable abutmentsI of the wheel rim D is substantially double that of the abutments H, H,of the sides A, so that they will engage relatively about the same areaof the springs in either the normal condition of the device. or when inaction.

The operation of the construction as thus assembled is asiollows:-Motion being imparted to the peripheral rim D, it will travelindependent of the sides A, the end L of spring K bearing againstabutment I being shifted by such abutment toward the relativelystationary resisting abutments H, H, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3.Such compression will continue until the resisting load of the shaft;through hubs B and sides A, is overcome, or until the terminals L of thesprings are in contact as indicated at the left side of Fig. 3, Where--upon, the rim D having traveled through its entire availableindependent range, will impart positive actu: ating motion to the wheeland shaft. It will be apparent that the device will operate equally Wellin either direction. After said Wheel and shaft are started, thecompressed springs may wholly or partially relax, and

in action may continue to vibrate, depending upon the use of either oneor several springs, in which latter case all of the springs operatetogether and are compressed simultaneously. p

d On Sheet 2 of the drawings I have shown a construction wherein aplurality of springs oidifferent strengths are-so arranged that, asheretofore stated, their compressive energy will be successivelyutilized, for which purpose the springs are so mounted with relation tothe wheel sides and periphery as to make successive engagement. For thispurpose the adjacent ends j pf two sets of abutments h and 11respectively terminate on common planes and are engaged by the terminalsZ of springs k in such a manner as to be operative, in the same manneras has been already described. k It represents a similar spring,preferably of greater strength than spring '70 made in the same mannerand normally mounted uponand-Joetween' the terminals 71]" of abutments iof thewheel sides A, whilethe corresponding terminals '5 h ofthe rimabutments h are normally located backwardly from the spring terminals ateach side, leaving an intervening space 2:. .The

same arrangement is provided for the next succeeding spring is k isnormally engaging terminals 1' j of wheel side abutments 1', while theterminals 1'. h of the rim abutments h are located a somewhat furtherdistance back from the spring terminals at each side, approximatelytwice the distance as in the case of spring k I: just described, leavinga corresponding longer space :0 x, The resulting effect of sucharrangement is that the compressed resiliency of spring 7c is firstutilized to an extent, after which the further reduction of said springis and then that of k k, is accomplished, after which both of saidsprings are further compressed in addition to then compressing the thirdspring k k it, after which'all the springs are-compressed together andtheir terminals will make abutting contact'simultaneously, if motion hasnot previously been imparted to the wheel and shaft during thecompressing action of the springs. i

I The especial advantage of the last described construction is that theresiliency of each spring is utilized I successively or cumulativelywhile the effect of each successive spring isadded to that of thepreceding one, thereby rapidly increasing the effect of the springwithin a comparatively short travel.

The advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated by all thosefamiliar with this class of machinery. The construction is comparativelysimple, composed of few parts, readily taken apart or assembled, andwill befound to perform its functions in a very satisfactory andefficient manner. v p

The invention may be changed or varied in different details, as forinstance by the number or form of the springs according to the size ofthe wheel or in other within the scope of the following claims.

terminals engaging What I claim is:.

1. A wheel comprising outer side portions, and a relatively movable rimportion, each. of said portions having bearingabutments, and a U shapedspring having terminals engaging said abutinenfs, substantially as setforth.

2. A wheel comprising outer side portions having "hearing abutments. arelatively movable rim portion having,

similar bearing abutments, and a U. shaped-spring having oppositelypressing hooked terminals engaging said abutirents, substantially as setforth.

3. A wheel comprising outer side portions having'bearing abutments upontheir inner peripheries and inwardly extending hubs, a relativelymovable rim portion mounted on the peripheries of said side portions "ndhavingbear ing abntments extending between the side portion abut- 1ments, and n U shaped ring having oppositely pressing said abutments;substantially asset forth.

4. A wheel comprising outer side portions having oppositely locatedpairs of bearing abutments, a relatively mov able rim portion havingcorresponding bearing abntments, and aplurality of U shaped springshaving oppositely pressing terminals engaging said abntrnents,substantially as set forth.

5. A wheel' 'comprising outer side portions having bean ing abntments,arelatively movable rim portion having similar bearing abntments, and aU shaped spring having oppositely pressing terminals engaging theabutmcnts oi the side portions and adapted to be engaged at one side byone of the abutinents of the rim upon relative movement thereof,substantially as set forth.

6. A wheel comprising outer side portions and :1 rela -tively movablerim portion, each of said portions having I or more of the abntments areshifted with relation to theothers, substantially as set forth.

7. In a wheel, the combination of outer side portions provided with aplurality of inwardly extending nbutmerits, n relatively .movable rimportion having a pinrality of abutments adapted to cooperate therewith,said abutments being assembled side byside across the width of thewheeland providing intervening clearance spaces between their ends, and aplurality of springs inserted in said clearance splices and hearing bytheir opposite terminals against the ends of said assembled abutments,substantially as set forth.

8. In a wheel, the combination of outer side portions provided with aplurality of inwardly extending abut merits, a relatively movable riinportion having a phyralit y oi abutments adapted ta cooperate therewith,said nbutments being assembled side; or the wheel and providingintervening clearance spaces between their ends, and a plurality ofsprings inserted in said clearance spaces and hearing by their oppositeterminals against the ends of some of said assembled abutinents andadapted to be engaged by the ends of others of said abutihents,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses C. M. Cmumn, Cniis. S. LnPLnY.

JosHnA J. JONES.

y side across the width 7

